The invention relates to an amusement ride, more particularly an amusement ride in which a vehicle is launched from a tube by pressurized gas and is guided along a predetermined path after it leaves the tube.
A number of amusement rides are known which accelerate and decelerate a passenger vehicle along a predetermined path, providing riders with a sensation of xe2x80x9cg forcesxe2x80x9d and/or weightlessness. For example, in the amusement ride known as xe2x80x9cSuperman The Escapexe2x80x9d at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, Calif., linear synchronous motors (LSMs) are used to accelerate a vehicle along a horizontal stretch of track about 600 feet in length to a velocity of about 100 mph. The vehicle is then directed upward along a vertical stretch of track to a height of about 300 feet, subsequently xe2x80x9cfree fallsxe2x80x9d down the vertical track, and decelerates as it re-enters the horizontal stretch of track. While the vehicle is travelling upwardly and downwardly along the vertical stretch of track, riders experience a feeling of weightlessness. The ride xe2x80x9cMr. Freezexe2x80x9d (at the same location) also uses LSMs for accelerating a passenger vehicle along a predetermined path. However, the use of LSMs is relatively costly. Furthermore, the riders experience a propulsive xe2x80x9cg forcexe2x80x9d of only about 1 g, whereas the legal limit is typically about 4 g.
Other examples of amusement rides which propel a passenger vehicle are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,632,686 and 5,704,841 to Checketts which issued on May 27, 1997 and Jan. 6, 1998, respectively; U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,912 to Bohme, which issued on Apr. 13, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,022 to Spieldiener et al. which issued on Dec. 14, 1999. These amusement rides accelerate and decelerate a passenger vehicle using compressed air and a piston and cable/pulley system. One major disadvantage of this type of system is that it produces straight-line motions only, thus limiting ride design possibilities.
The amusement ride described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,410 to Sassak, issued on Dec. 11, 1984, raises a passenger vehicle through a vertical tube with a blower and entrains the vehicle in the current of air above the tube. One major disadvantage of this system is that the vehicle can only travel straight up and down a short distance outside of the tube, which limits ride design possibilities and provides riders with a sensation of weightlessness which lasts only a few seconds.
Other type of rides exist in which a sensation of weightlessness is produced by a free fall only. One example of such a ride is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,358 to Marcu which issued on Jan. 28, 1997. In the Marcu amusement ride, a passenger vehicle is sealed to the inside walls of a tube by flexible, expandable gaskets and provided with rollers. The vehicle is raised within the tube by a blower and then released to fall in a free fall mode inside the tube. The vehicle brakes at the bottom of the tube by compressing the air beneath it. This system has the disadvantage that it inherently produces only straight up and down motion. Furthermore, the sensation of weightlessness exists only while the vehicle is in free fall mode, and is therefore of short duration.
Another type of amusement ride which provides riders with a weightless experience is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,615 to Beard, issued on May 23, 1995. The Beard patent describes an air driven amusement ride in which a vehicle is propelled from a launch tube by pressurized air introduced into the tube beneath the vehicle. The vehicle is propelled by the pressurized air out of the tube along a tensioned guide cable which is connected at its upper end to a tower. After the vehicle reaches its maximum height, it is returned to the launch tube under the force of gravity where air is used to brake the vehicle.
Thus, Beard provides a simple type of launch and re-entry amusement ride in which riders experience weightlessness during the upward launch and during the subsequent descent of the vehicle under the force of gravity. However, the amusement ride disclosed by Beard is subject to a number of disadvantages. Firstly, because the cable is tensioned between two points, the vehicle is limited to having a straight guide path. Secondly, the cable must be oriented vertically, otherwise gravity loads would bend the cable and the vehicle would risk interfering with the end of the tube upon re-entry. Thirdly, horizontal loads such as crosswinds may also cause deflection of the cable. Fourthly, a single cable affords no control over rotation of the vehicle about the guide cable. Thus, the passenger vehicle may experience uncontrolled spinning as it travels through its trajectory. Fifthly, the positioning of the guide cable through the center of the passenger vehicle limits the design of the vehicle and makes the use of more than one vehicle impractical.
Therefore, the need exists for an amusement ride capable of providing riders with a xe2x80x9cg forcexe2x80x9d and/or weightless experience while being more economical, safer, and having greater design possibilities than presently used amusement rides of this type.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art amusement rides described above by providing an amusement ride in which a passenger vehicle is launched by pressurized gas and is guided along the path from inside a tube to outside the tube.
In preferred aspects of the invention, the vehicle can re-enter the tube from which it is launched or enter a second tube, for example under the force of gravity, and be caused to brake by pressurization of air inside the tube.
In one embodiment of the invention, the guidance means comprises self-rigid track means extending from inside the tube to outside the tube. The use of a self-rigid track means to guide the vehicle increases the number of design possibilities for the ride. Specifically, the use of a rigid track allows the vehicle to travel along a number of different paths, and allows the ride to take a number of different forms. Furthermore, the use of a rigid track allows control over spinning of the vehicle along its intended path of travel. Accordingly, the present invention provides an amusement ride in which the track can deviate from a simple vertical path, and also provides embodiments in which the track xe2x80x9ctwistsxe2x80x9d in relation to the direction of travel to provide controlled spinning motion of the passenger vehicle.
The present invention also provides an embodiment in which the vehicle is guided in a substantially straight path by two or more tensioned guide cables which guide the vehicle along its outer surface for improved control over its trajectory.